It was a quiet Monday afternoon in the office when suddenly a crash was heard from the hallway. Susan poked her head out of her cubicle to see what had happened. There, in the middle of the floor, was the drinking bird toy that usually sat perched on top of Frank’s filing cabinet. The little red bird was lying on its side, wobbling back and forth as if trying to right itself. Susan looked around but there was no one else in sight. “That’s odd,” she thought. “How did the drinking bird get knocked over?”
What is a drinking bird and how does it work?
A drinking bird is a popular desk toy that mimics the motion of a bird dipping its beak into water. It consists of a glass bulb “body” that is partially filled with a colored liquid like methylene chloride. Inside the glass bulb are two tubes – a straight tube that reaches to the bottom of the bulb, and a curved tube that extends up and then loops back down into the liquid. At the top of the curved tube is a metal cap and pivot point that allows the bird to rock back and forth. The weight of the bottom straight tube causes the bird to tip forward, dipping the metal cap into the liquid. This makes the liquid in the curved tube warmer than the air above it, causing it to evaporate and create a vacuum. The atmospheric pressure then pushes the bird back upright. This oscillating motion will repeat continually as long as there is liquid in the bulb.
How the drinking bird works:
- The bird tips forward due to the weight of the straight tube.
- The metal cap on the tip of the curved tube dips into the liquid.
- The liquid evaporates and creates a vacuum in the curved tube.
- Atmospheric pressure pushes the bird back upright.
- The oscillating motion repeats.
The drinking bird is an interesting application of thermodynamics and pressure to create a perpetual motion toy. The changing temperature of the liquid creates the forces that power the oscillating motion. As long as there is liquid in the bulb, the bird will rock back and forth appearing to “drink” perpetually from the glass.
Who was around when the drinking bird fell?
Since Susan didn’t see anyone else in the hallway, she poked her head into the cubicles and offices nearby to ask if anyone had seen what happened. Here’s what each person said:
Frank:
“I was on a phone call when it happened so I didn’t see anything. But that’s weird that it fell over – that bird is usually pretty stable. Maybe the wood base finally split or something.”
Lisa:
“No, sorry, I was focused on finishing this report for my boss. I had my headphones in so I didn’t hear anything either.”
Bob:
“Nope, no idea. I just got back from my lunch break actually. Interesting though, maybe it was knocked over accidentally?”
Nancy:
“I didn’t see anything, but I did step away from my desk for a minute to use the restroom down the hall. It definitely wasn’t knocked over when I left my cubicle.”
Examining the evidence
Susan examined the drinking bird more closely to look for clues. The red liquid had spilled out of the bird’s bulb onto the floor around it. She also noticed that the usually smooth wood base of the bird appeared splintered on one side. Very strange indeed. Just then, the office manager, Bill, walked by and saw the commotion.
“What happened here?” he asked.
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out,” Susan replied. “The drinking bird was just lying on the floor when I came by. I asked the nearby coworkers if they saw anything but no one seems to know what knocked it over.”
Bill stroked his moustache thoughtfully. “Interesting, let me take a look at it.”
Bill picked up the drinking bird and turned it over in his hands, examining it from all angles. He peered closely at the wood base and saw that it was indeed split from some kind of impact. It looked like it had been hit hard by something or someone. Then he noticed a few small shards of glass on the floor near where the bird had fallen.
“Hmmm…” Bill murmured to himself. He was deep in thought trying to reconstruct the sequence of events.
Who dunnit?
After a careful examination of the evidence and interviews with all nearby coworkers, Bill determined that Nancy likely knocked over the drinking bird accidentally when exiting the bathroom in a hurry. His reasoning was based on several key clues:
Clues pointing to Nancy:
| Clue | Reasoning |
|---|---|
| Nancy was away from her desk shortly before the incident | She admitted to using the restroom down the hall at the relevant time |
| The wood base was split from impact | Indicates the bird was likely struck forcefully, possibly bumped |
| Glass shards were found on the floor | Nancy was carrying an iced coffee, the collision could have caused it to drop and shatter |
When presented with this evidence, Nancy recalled hurrying out of the bathroom while attempting to fix an earring. She wasn’t watching her surroundings closely and was carrying an iced coffee in one hand. It’s very likely she accidentally bumped into the filing cabinet causing the drinking bird to topple over and her coffee to drop, hence the broken glass and splintered wood base. Mystery solved!
Preventing future drinking bird mishaps
To prevent any future drinking bird accidents, Bill implemented the following office policies:
- No running in the office hallways
- Be aware of your surroundings when exiting rooms or cubicles
- Keep hallways and walkways clear of clutter and obstructions
- Secure breakroom supplies and desk toys on sturdy surfaces
- Clean up spills immediately
Bill also announced that the office would purchase a new drinking bird toy to replace the broken one. Until it arrived, they placed a “Be Careful” sign and traffic cones around the empty spot on Frank’s filing cabinet to warn people away.
The mystery of the toppled drinking bird was solved, and new office policies would help prevent accidents in the future. Employees were reminded to be more aware of their surroundings and take care when moving about the office. With a little caution and care, the drinking bird would bob along happily in its rightful place for years to come.
Conclusion
In summary, the drinking bird on Frank’s filing cabinet was accidentally knocked over when Nancy hurried out of the bathroom and bumped into it, likely causing her iced coffee to drop and shatter as well. Based on an examination of the evidence and interviews with nearby coworkers, the office manager Bill was able to deduce that Nancy was responsible, though inadvertently so. New office policies about clearing clutter and being aware of surroundings were implemented to prevent any future incidents. The drinking bird was replaced and a sign put up to warn people away from the empty spot for now. With some minor adjustments and a little more care when moving about the office, the drinking bird would continue gracing Frank’s cabinet without further mishap.
